1834.]

The Teacher's Almanac.

47

a person on the wall which only shows the form of his head and face, and you know the little copies of these shadows are called profiles. This is just as a shadow or profile of the earth would appear. It is also called a section of the earth, because it shows the earth just as it would appear if it were cut through the middle, straight down from Washington. You see here that St Paul's island is directly under Washington, and Swan River settlement, in New Holland, is almost under it.

W. Well, then, father; if I should go to St Paul's island, Washington would be directly under my feet. You see it must be the top all around. But look at the profile, and tell me where Liberia, in Africa, is situated.

F. Yes, my son or over your feet, if you choose to say so.

W. Why, father, I don't understand this. I learned in my Geography, that when I stand with my face to the north, and hold out my right hand, that it will point to the east, and Africa is at the east; but here it seems to be down below us.

F. But you forget, William, that the earth is not level. As we seem to be at the top of the world, whichever way you go, you must go down. So, if you are going east, over the Atlantic Ocean to Africa, it would be as if you were going down hill; and you would see the top of a steeple or lighthouse after you had lost sight of the land.

W. I see now, it must be so, father; and if I want to point to Africa, I must not only point to the right hand, but I must point downwards, too. F. And suppose you were to point with your left hand in about the same direction downwards?

W. According to this profile, I should point to California.

F. And what island do you find pointing half way down, when you have your face to the earth?

W. Owhyhee. And then farther down is New Holland, and Botany Bay.

F. And what do you find about two-thirds down, upon the right hand? W. The island of Madagascar. And half way down, is Lower Guinea. F. Well, William, I hope you will remember that if you point straight off to your right hand, or to your left, you will not point to Africa or California, but to the stars and the sky; and I wish you would copy this profile, until you can draw it from memory. I will only tell you, that St Paul's island is not the spot directly under our feet; but it is not far from it.

THE TEACHER'S ALMANAC FOR JANUARY.

THE SCHOOL ROOM.

In the short, cold days of January, precious time is often lost to teachers and pupils for want of a fire in season, and dry wood. Try to secure both. Do you leave your wood exposed to the weather, or depend on the chance memory and skill of every boy in the school for your fire? If you do, do you not often pay dearly for it with smoke or cold!

Is your room tight? If not, stop the crevices or let your boys sit out of the way of them, whether they are in the floor or the walls; or you will have your classes broken up, and your school irregular, from chilblained feet and coughs and fevers.

Do you sit yourself, or allow your pupils to sit, with wet feet? Consumptions and death have followed; and I have known a teacher tormented with rheumatic toothache for years, from trying to 'harden himself,' by sitting with wet feet. The January thaw,' exposes a school very much to colds, and requires more caution than frosty weather.

Keep a thermometer in your room; for your variable state of body is no test of the proper temperature. Ventilate it well several times a day; but do not let your pupils be exposed to the cold, while in a state of perspiration.

THE WORLD.

Teach your pupils not merely to study at school, but to look abroad, and observe the face of nature. If they will watch the freezing of water, and the snow flakes, they will see the process of crystalization. Point out to them the changes in the air, produced by different kinds of weather. Let them look out for the Aurora Borealis.

VEGETABLES.

Let them mark how this is the season of sleep in the vegetable world; and show them how much better living plants resist the frost, than things without life. They may learn, however, even now, to distinguish the various kinds of evergreens and mosses; and may be taught to conceive of those countries where winter is perpetual. Do you find any insects or plants on the snow, in your region? If so, let them be watched and described.

ANIMALS.

Most of the birds have gone from the north, to warm climates. Let the departure of others be noted; and let the children observe how the robins, and snow birds, and partridges get their food.

The frogs and reptiles have buried themselves for the winter; and the bears and hedgehogs, where they exist, have generally gone to sleep for the season. The fox, the rabbit, the squirrel, and the deer, may be traced in the snow; and much instruction and amusement may be derived from watching their habits, in many parts of the country. Do not allow your pupils to pass over that change of color in the coats of several of the animals, by which the Creator enables them to conceal themselves in the season of snow.

THE HEAVENS.

The clear nights of winter show the stars in their greatest lustre. Teach your pupils the constellation of the Great Bear, if no other, and the situation of the north star. Point out the planets, when they are visible.

Venus, is the morning star until March, and is well worth the trouble of early rising in a clear morning. I have seen it cast a distinct shadow. Jupiter can be seen at any time in a clear evening. It is on the meridian (or south of us) at six o'clock; and of course sets after 10 o'clock. Saturn is visible at the same time as Jupiter, (if not obscured by its light,) a little lower down. The rings of Saturn and satellites of Jupiter, may be seen with a good telescope. Mars rises late in the morning, and sets before evening. Mercury may perhaps be seen at a very early hour in the morning.

In pointing out the wonders of Nature, forget not to lead the minds of your pupils to Him who made them all.

1834.]

Miscellany.

MISCELLANY.

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION OF TEACHERS.

49

It seems now to be felt by all parties on education that “something must be done" to prepare teachers for their responsible task. It is also conceded, that practice is indispensable to make a thorough teacher; and some believe that this is enough. One gentleman, himself concerned in an institution for the instruction of teachers, goes so far as to denounce the seminaries founded for this purpose as dangerous monopolies! We will not stop to examine the consistency of their course; for we are happy to find a large and increasing number of the friends of education, who deem it of the highest importance to communicate to the young teacher, a part of the experience of those who have gone before him; and who think that the science of Education and the art of teaching, are as important to an instructor, as the science of Physiology and the art of operating, to the surgeon. The last month furnishes many indications of progress on this subject.

Governor Wolfe, of PENNSYLVANIA, in his late message to the legislature of that State, urges the necessity of such an arrangement for the education of its citizens as "should secure the education and instruction of a competent number of active, intelligent teachers; who will not only be prepared, but well qualified, to take upon themselves the government of the schools, and to communicate instruction to the pupils."

In NEW YORK the committee appointed at a public meeting of the Friends of Common Education, in July last, to promote the establishment of a Central Institution for the Education of Common School Teachers in that State, have recently issued an address setting forth the importance and necessity of such an institution, and warmly urging the friends of public instruction in all the Counties of the State, to hold meetings on this subject as soon as may be, and to unite in soliciting the attention of the Legislature to it, at their approaching session.

In the Oxford Academy, New York, which we should regard from its catalogue as flourishing, we find that a course of Lectures is to be commenced in School-keeping, for the benefit of those who wish to prepare for that profession, with a course of regular recitations on the subject. The same plan has been adopted in many other Academies.

SCHOOLS AT THE WEST.

The progress of efforts to promote education in "the West"-the great, the rising West-continues to be encouraging. The want of it is felt; and this is the first, and the most important step, towards procuring a supply. In our last number, we recorded the meetings of three conventions of teachers and friends of education, in Ohio and Kentucky; and during the present month, a meeting is to be held at Frankfort to organize a School Society for the State.

A similar association formed in Indiana, have been engaged in ascertaining the condition of education throughout the State, in order to rouse the people to action. The following are extracts from their report

"A large majority of the rising generation are destitute of any privileges of instruction. In nine townships from which a full tabular report was returned, containing about 9,000 children between 5 and 15 years of age, only 919 attended school last year, and the larger part of those for three months only. But one in six are able to read; one in nine to write, one

in sixteen have studied arithmetic; one in one hundred geography, &c. one in one hundred and fortyfive, grainmar. In the three counties of Washington, Jackson and Lawrence, containing a population of 27,000, only 1,521 attend school in summer, and 3,433 in winter. Making an average in winter of one scholar to two families, and in summer, less.

"There are places in some of the oldest counties in the state where from 40 to CO children have lived till now without any privileges of instruction, and others where it has been the fact for five or six years. Circulars from other parts of the state bring accounts equally gloomy. One reports a township in which there has not been a school during the past year. In one neighborhood where personal inquiry has been made in every family, out of 48 children under 21 years of age, six only could read, and two write a little. In another, among 60 children only eight

could read."

Painful as these facts are, it is a matter of rejoicing that they are developed, for we cannot believe that Americans will rest, until some mode be found to enlighten this inass of uncultivated mind.

In Michigan, we perceive that this subject is receiving attention. It is stated by the Detroit Courier, in which we find some interesting essays on education, that the schools of that place are well taught, and that several literary associations exist for various objects.

EDUCATION AND THE PRESS.

It is no slight indication of interest in education, that it commands, to so great an extent, the services of that engine which moves the civilized world the Press. Among the books with which it is continually burdened, a large part are designed for the young. No opportunity is lost of claiming for a book a place in the school; and no book will so readily find a publisher, as a good juvenile work. It is gratifying also to see, that the day of trifles is passing away; and that the name of "a Parley book" is becoming somewhat reproachful, from the fact, that so many of the attractive and highly embellished works under this title, are found to possess little permanent value.

The interest exhibited in this by the Periodical Press, is an omen not less gratifying. A great number of our newspapers not only copy and circulate articles on this subject, but often present valuable original

essays.

LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS IN TURKEY.

It is stated on the authority of a letter from a gentleman in Constantinople that the Turks are becoming eager for instruction and are introducing the Lancasterian system of instruction among themselves. Two schools, embracing nearly seven hundred youths between twelve and twenty years of age, are already in successful operation. It is also added, that they are urging the English in that city to prepare books, maps, charts, cards, lessons, translations, &c. as fast as possible. They wish for the largest and best maps, which they can find, of every country. These, they copy, if not in their own language, and write their names in Turkish. They manifest much ignorance of the extent of the labor of preparing books, and suppose that a large geography can be be made in eight or ten days, with perfect ease!

MANUAL LABOR SCHOOLS.

The combination of manual labor with study, as a means of economy and health, is gaining attention constantly. A number of institutions al

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Notices.

51

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ready existing, are beginning to adopt it, as a part of their regular course of discipline the only mode in our view of making a fair experiment. The Governor of Pennsylvania advises the adoption of this system in seminaries for teachers, proposed in his message, and the Seminary at Andover (Mass.) has made provision for the labor of its students. The interest in other states at the North, is manifested by the numerous applications for places at these schools, and the frequent inquiries of parents.

But we are most gratified to see the system embraced with so deep interest at the South. In the report of the Manual Labor School of the Georgia Presbyterian Education Society, it is stated that the experiment there made, furnishes satisfactory evidence that in that climate also, and with southern constitutions, labor promotes study as well as health.

The message of the Governor of Georgia presents it in the same view, and advises its introduction into the school system of that State.

NOTICES.

Alphabet of Botany for the Use of Beginners. By JAMES RENNIE, A. M. Revised and Corrected for the Use of American Schools, by ARABELLA CLARK, Principal of Female Department Mechanics' School. New York: Peter Hill. 1833. 18mo. pp. 130.

An interesting introduction to Botany, adapted to the capacities of children, and calculated to excite a love for the study. Its arrangement is simple, and scientific terms are avoided as much as possible. Those which are used, are introduced with explanations which will render them intelligible, and illustrated by a number of well executed engravings. We rejoice to see it issuing from the " Mechanics' School."

Lessons in Greek; a familiar Introduction to the Greek Language as a living tongue. By THEODORE DWIGHT, Jun. Springfield: G. & C. Merriam. 1833. 12mo. pp. 104.

We have looked over this attempt to render the language of our sacred book more accessible, with great interest. It is a grammar, on the simple plan of nature, and proposes to let the pupil learn Greek as he learns English, by speaking and writing, analysing and spelling words, as they occur in phrases and combining them into new phrases, and thus presenting the theory, as he proceeds in the practice of grammar. It will find no favor with the “conservatives” in education; reformers will welcome it.

The Young Man's Guide. Boston: Lilly, Wait, Colman & Holden. 1833. 18mo. pp. 320.

So brief a title is a rare luxury to a reader, as well as to an editor, and printer. The book is marked, in general, with the same terseness and point; and we do not hesitate to recommend it as the best guide for young men to the common duties of life with which we are acquainted. It does not profess to refer to another world; and we think, does not bring forward the highest sanctions of duty, so much as it ought. But it presents those details of morals and manners, for want of which a christian character is frequently thrown into the shade, and sometimes rendered doubtful in the view of the world. The concluding chapters ought to be read by every